Lakers News: Expert Gives Los Angeles High Marks For New Guard Addition
One of the more surprising signings from the first day of NBA free agency was former Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent inking a three-year deal worth $33 million with the Los Angeles Lakers. LA targeted Vincent early on and despite an effort from Heat President Pat Riley to keep him in South Beach, Vincent now heads west.
It was the kind of move that made Laker fans excited because it was a named that was weakly being linked to the team. However, General Manager Rob Pelinka does a great job at keeping plans in-house. Many people have praised the move because of his on-court fit with LeBron James. This includes the NBA staff over at Bleacher Report, who gave the signing a letter grade of "B+".
"Vincent was a crucial component of the Miami Heat's push to the Finals this season. He started all 22 games, averaged 12.7 points and 3.5 assists and shot 37.8 percent from deep. If the Los Angeles Lakers get that version of him, this deal is a no-brainer. And playing alongside LeBron James, who'll create plenty of wide-open looks, increases the likelihood of that player showing up more consistently."
Vincent can play both on and off ball very effectively and he essentially will replace Dennis Schroder in the lineup. He is a physical guard who hounds players on defense and has the ability to knock down three-point shots at a high rate when on.
He averaged 9.4 points per game and shot 33.4 percent from three-point land for the Heat last season. However as the lights got brighter, he got better. In the playoffs, Vincent averaged 12.7 points and shot 37.8 percent from deep.
The former undrafted player should provide LA with a strong option off the bench or even as a starter depending how training camp goes. Vincent is the type of player that head coach Darvin Ham loves as he is selfless and team-oriented.
This was a hell of a signing by Pelinka and Vincent should give the team an even stronger chance to bring home title number 18 next season.
Are you following us on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube yet? Join the conversation as we discuss the latest Lakers news and rumors with fans like you!
